Wem

Questions and timecodes are below. Where applicable, plant names have been provided.

Q – Are there any jobs in the garden that can be done in just ten minutes?

(00 minutes 39 seconds) 

Q – When is the best time to prune salvias? And when should they be cut back?

(3 minutes 08 seconds) 

Bunny –

Salvia, ‘Hot lips’

Perovskia

Salvia microphylla, 'Cerro Potosi'

Matthew –

Salvia microphylla

Salvia, ‘Nachtvlinder’ or ‘Night Moth’

Q – Last year, the birds stripped all of my cherries and gooseberries. The trees are too big to net. How can I save my crop?

(7 minutes 23 seconds)

Bunny –

Dwarf cherry

Prunus avium

Gooseberry

Q – I plan to plant two blueberry bushes in ericaceous compost in two large planters. What could I plant round the base that would thrive in ericaceous soil? I’m not a fan of heathers!

(10 minutes 46 seconds)

Christine –

Libertia peregrinans

Cyclamen coum

Matthew –

Hebe pinguifolia

‘Bilberry’

Erica arborea

Bunny –

Erodium pelargoniiflorum

Viola

Feature – Matthew Wilson visits Philippa Cooper, a member of the Eckford Sweet Pea Society, to find out the fascinating history of the society’s namesake.

(15 minutes 59 seconds)

Sweet Pea, ‘Bronze Prince’

Sweet Pea, ‘Dorothy Eckford’

Sweet Pea, ‘Mrs Collier’

Sweet Pea, Spencer mix

‘Prima Donna’

Q – Panel, if you had to dedicate the rest of your lives to only one plant what would it be?

(22 minutes 18 seconds)

Matthew –

Heather

Christine –

Sprout

Bean (runner)

Sweetcorn

Bunny –

Taxus baccata, Yew

Haworthia x cuspidata

Matthew –

Ash

Q – I have a beautiful, open garden space which is currently a blank canvas. I’d love some ideas for how to create areas of colour and interest throughout the year but in a low maintenance way.

(24 minutes 40 seconds)

Matthew –

Rose

Q – I have a slope running down to my lawn which doesn’t drain well. What can I do with this? And what are the best plants for damp conditions?

(31 minutes 25 seconds)

Christine –

Calathea

Primula

Uvularia

Astilbe

Filipendula

Iris ensata

Q – What would the panel recommend as the vegetable garden or allotment “big five” to grow?

(35 minutes 49 seconds)

Christine –

Sprout

Sweetcorn

Bean (runner)

Matthew –

Asparagus

Sweetcorn

Strawberry

Potato (salad)

Globe artichoke

Bunny –

Lovage

Parsley, ‘Italian’

Tomato

Bean (runner)

Lettuce, ‘Cut and Come Again’

Q – What disasters have the panel rescued in an interesting or artistic way?

(37 minutes 19 seconds)

Christine –

Onion

Bunny –

Lettuce

Matthew –

Taxus baccata, Yew